“Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.” Isaiah 61:7 NIV
The message of salvation is a message of deliverance. Jesus spent His time with those the religious people believed to be dirty, filthy, stinking, hell-bent sinners. You couldn’t keep these sinners away from Jesus. They saw the implications of what Jesus was doing. They naturally gravitated to Jesus because they needed deliverance. Jesus descended from a holy, holy, holy heavenly throne to associate with people as sinful as you and me. If we are afraid of people with seemingly insurmountable problems we are in the wrong business. Isaiah’s message is a message to people with seemingly insurmountable problems. Yet, Isaiah’s message portrays Israel’s deliverance. Those to whom Isaiah was speaking needed to see that someone other than those who were oppressing them was in charge of their lives. The world needs to hear the same message of deliverance today. We approach people with the gospel asking them, “Would you go to hell if you died tonight?” This is the wrong question. The better question is this: “Are you honouring the purpose for which God created you in the way you are living right now?” This is the only means of deliverance. We need to challenge the world through our lifestyles. It is Jesus’ life that draws us to Him – His life was His message – His life lived through us must be our message. It is the only message that will reveal the healing hand of God to a hurting world.
PRAYER THOUGHT
Lord Jesus, live Your life through us each day.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord Jesus, it is Your life that draws us to You. Your life was Your message. Live Your life through us, through the power and ministry of Your indwelling Holy Spirit, so that our lives will be Your message; Your healing hand to a hurting world. AMEN
I.B.R.A. Readings
Mark 13:1-20
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